In this Alumni Spotlight we caught up with Leslie Chelton, Practical Nursing (LPN) graduate who currently works at OB/GYN Associates of Erie.
What where you doing prior to enrollment? What made you enroll in school?
I was working as a secretary at St. Vincent hospital in the Maternal Childhealth Department as well as working at my mothers hair salon. I am also a graduate of TONI&GUY in 2005. I always wanted to go to school for Nursing. I am getting older and felt that it was now our never.
Where have you worked since you graduated and where do you currently work? What is your title?
I first worked as an LPN in St. Vincent’s Cardiac intensive care unit. From there I went to their sister unit, the Cardiac med/surg floor. Currently I am working at OB/GYN Associates as a nurse in the Triage department.
What types of things do you do there day to day?
I triage patient problems over the phone and communicate with providers to address the patients problems. I also give injections to our patients as well as run non-stress tests on our pregnant patients. I will also be trained to do new prenatal interviews.
What do you like about your career?
I love working with OB/GYN patients. I enjoy working with all of the providers that I had worked with at labor and delivery at the hospital. I also really enjoy the set schedule! I work four 10 hour shifts a week. I get a set day off and am off every weekend and holiday.
What did you like most about attending Great Lakes? How did Great Lakes prepare you for your job?
Great Lakes taught me what I needed to know to pass the NCLEX and to start my new career as an LPN. It was very challenging as COVID hit right after I started, but the school and myself and other students were able to adapt.
What advice can you give current students and new graduates that can help them be successful?
Study and pay attention!!! You get out of it what you put into it! It is not easy but you can do it! Being a nurse is amazing and there are so many opportunities out there!!!
